The battle had truly come to an end.
Though Storm and the others had been stunned by Kurogai's power, the final outcome remained unchanged—Magneto's plan had failed. And what Magneto left behind now belonged to Kurogai.
Afterward, Storm and the rest contained the aftermath at the Statue of Liberty and swiftly departed in their supersonic aircraft, returning to the X-Mansion. With that, everything seemed to settle back into silence.
Kurogai, however, did not return with them. Instead, he opened a spatial portal and vanished. There were still matters that required his attention—chief among them, forming a research team to examine and improve the transformation machine.
"If I'm going to build a team to perfect that machine," Kurogai muttered to himself, "I need someone trustworthy—someone who understands genetics inside and out."
The answer came quickly. Without hesitation, he returned to the place where Jean was resting.
She was the one.
Jean had been immersed in genetic research for years and could be considered an expert in the field. Her knowledge would be invaluable in refining the transformation device. More importantly, the topic itself was volatile—converting humans into mutants wasn't just a scientific project; it was a political minefield. The tension between mutants and ordinary people had grown worse over time. Entrusting this to just anyone could have dire consequences.
Jean was the only person he could trust with something so dangerous.
"Kurogai, you're back. How did it go?"
Jean tried to sit up as soon as she saw him, but the moment she moved, her body ached all over. She winced and looked at him with a mix of frustration and amusement.
"You really don't know the meaning of restraint," she muttered under her breath.
Kurogai gave a relaxed chuckle, moved to her side, and pulled her gently into his arms. "With me involved, things went as expected—smoothly."
"So Magneto is actually dead?" Jean asked, surprised. It was difficult to process. Magneto had always been one of the most formidable and unpredictable mutants alive. Hearing he had fallen so abruptly didn't feel real.
"He's gone," Kurogai replied calmly. "But his machine wasn't destroyed."
He activated his Mangekyo Sharingan, pulling the large transformation device from his spatial dimension.
"I need your help with this," he said, his tone suddenly serious.
Jean sat upright despite her soreness, instantly sensing the weight of the request. "What is it? Tell me."
"This machine is the one Magneto designed to forcibly turn humans into mutants," Kurogai explained. "But it has a critical flaw. The genetic instability it causes leads to rapid cell breakdown. Even if someone gains powers, they'll die shortly after. I want you to improve it—to make it safe."
Jean's face turned pale. "Kurogai, this machine is too unstable. Why would you want to fix something like this? You saw what it did—"
Kurogai held her gaze. "You remember how I was collecting mutant DNA before?"
Jean nodded slowly. That period had brought them closer than ever, and she hadn't forgotten it.
"One of my abilities requires a large volume of mutant genes to evolve," he said. "But mutants are rare in this world. If we can refine this machine, we might be able to create new ones… ethically. Voluntarily."
His expression softened. "I'm telling you this because I trust you. Only you."
Jean stared at him for a long moment, then finally said, "So that's why. That's why you were after so much DNA back then…"
Still, her brows furrowed with concern. "But Kurogai, this kind of project is insanely complex. Even with my background in genetics, it touches on the very foundation of human biology. It'll take a massive effort."
"I'm not expecting you to do it alone," he reassured her. "I plan to gather a team of geneticists, build a dedicated research unit. You'll lead it."
After a moment's silence, Jean slowly nodded. "Alright. If it's you asking… I'll do it."
"Good," Kurogai said with a satisfied smile. "But not right away. You need to recover. This project isn't going to begin tomorrow."
Jean flushed slightly, glancing away. "Well, whose fault do you think that is? If someone didn't wear me out so much, I'd already be planning the whole thing."
Kurogai gave a short laugh. "Fair enough. Rest for now. I'll handle the rest until then."
With that, he stepped back, letting her lie down again. Jean watched him go with a faint smile, her mind already racing through possibilities.
The war might have ended for now, but Kurogai's ambitions had only just begun.
--
Milestones:
100 Power Stones → 1 Bonus Chapter
200 Power Stones → 3 Bonus Chapters